I expect a thread about Science Fiction to get zero responses but I'll throw this out anyway . . . . the Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.

Red Mars, Green Mars and Blue Mars- written over a decade - with a time frame spanning 200 years - is more than 2000 pages of reading altogether.

All three novels won the highest awards for the best of science fiction in the years they came out and the Trilogy is considered a milestone in SF literature.

It combines a soap opera longetivity (some would use the term space opera instead) of its primary characters with a pretty technical conversation about societies, political movements, environmental movements clashing with industry, the role of science and how all of that meshes with the colonization and terra-forming of Mars.

If you consider yourself an environmentalist or left of centre in most debates, you'd probably be attracted to it even more.

Kind of a high brow read, one reviewer describing it as "dream-like" and using that term in a not so positive manner. So . . . . its not for everyone but a fascinating plot, rich characters and, as I said, an elevated conversation level on a vast array of topics.

Just take your time with it, get into that "dream-like" state, and you'll have fun with it.

If you like your SF less technical, then you can do no worse that Isaac Asimov's famous "Foundation" series which he wrote over a period of many decades.

Rick C
[url]www.goldentales.ca[/url]

Skryker

March 3rd, 2006 10:25 PM

:o This trilogy is on my list of books to read someday...but I keep forgetting all about them. Never had any luck finding them in a used book store.

Foundations is a definite must-read set-or re-read, since I think it's been about 15 years. Just curious-did you bother with I, Robot the movie? COuldn't bring myself to. And I have to say, I prefer Asimov's Black Widows Club (that doesn't sound quite right-is it Black Widower's Club?) mystery short stories, and the Azazel ones. Just a personal quirk.

Rick C

March 20th, 2006 09:02 PM

[QUOTE=Skryker]:o This trilogy is on my list of books to read someday...but I keep forgetting all about them. Never had any luck finding them in a used book store.

Foundations is a definite must-read set-or re-read, since I think it's been about 15 years. Just curious-did you bother with I, Robot the movie? COuldn't bring myself to. And I have to say, I prefer Asimov's Black Widows Club (that doesn't sound quite right-is it Black Widower's Club?) mystery short stories, and the Azazel ones. Just a personal quirk.[/QUOTE]

"I Robot" the movie very loosely brings together some of the lines of thought in a couple of the short stories in "I Robot," Asimov's classic compendium of stories that he wrote over several decades which famously includes the three laws of robotics.

If you accept that "fatal flaw" premise and aren't looking for much of the book in this movie, you'll probably have fun with it as a pure murder mystery, albeit a futuristic one. I've watched it a few times on the movie channel.

But . . . . I'm a fan of the older style pulp science fiction and I do like pulling out books like that and savouring them . . . . . a simpler time when rocket ships were just that and stocking a spaceship with cans of pork n' beans was still a good idea.

Alan Steele's recent "Coyote" trilogy is interesting as well. Currently wading through Gregory Benford's Galactic Center series . . . . if you want a pretty wild "pulp" read then pick up "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlen or "Saturn" by Ben Bova. Any Chapters store will have a bunch of "Best of . . . ." sci fi short stories that you can get lost in . . . . I like the old Jules Verne stuff from the 1800's as well. I have about 10 books replicating the Star Trek cartoon series from the 1970's, bought at the time.

Don't get me going . . . .

Rick C
[url]www.goldentales.ca[/url]

mesaana

March 20th, 2006 09:09 PM

I'll put the Mars trilogy on my list...

As for Asimov, well, I actually cried when he died :sad: I'm a huge fan. Not just the sci-fi but also the mysteries (Black Widowers, yes) and all the non-fiction. I have about 60 books of his, I think.

I saw I, Robot and had to keep repeating to myself: this is NOT Susan Calvin, this is NOT Susan Calvin... It was a decent movie as long as I kept repeating that...

Skryker

March 21st, 2006 03:02 PM

I love the old pulpy sci-fi, too! I've read most of Heinlein's stuff by now, and a large chunk of Asimov.

"I have about 10 books replicating the Star Trek cartoon series from the 1970's, bought at the time. " -are you talking about the comic with record ones? I still have one of those!

My brother scours the bookstores looking for short story anthologies and then passes them on to me. The problem is, he lives 6 hours away now. :sad: I don't get my regular feed of books anymore!

Rick C

June 8th, 2006 12:22 PM

Another "pulpy science fiction soap opera" recommendation . . . . . .

I just finished reading the first four books of Kevin J. Anderson's [I][B]"Saga Of The Seven Suns" [/B][/I]series. All four have been on the New York Times bestseller list.

Hidden Empire
Forest of Stars
Horizon Storms
Scattered Suns

"Of Fire and Night" is the fifth book and I think is scheduled for release in July in hardcover. There will be a sixth and final book to the series eventually.

I don't think I've ever seen another book series where the tome you are reading so blatantly and abruptly ends, leaving you hanging in suspense on multiple story lines and concerned about the fate of multiple characters . . . . . forcing you to immediately rush out and buy the next one to see what happens. Its really astonishing an author can get away with such manipulation but, believe me, you're hooked.

Plot description and reviews of the first book - reviews of subsequent books would reveal plot spoilers - at this link: